You never know when disaster may strike which means you could find yourself in a compromising situation in a matter of seconds. You could slip and fall right outside on your front porch and sprain your ankle. You could cut yourself whilst preparing dinner. No matter the case, having to rush over to the nearest pharmacy when your finger is spouting blood or you have a medical emergency is far from ideal.
Plus, you’ll never know when you get stuck at home in need of medication but are able to leave due to extreme weather conditions. This is why it’s essential that you always have a fully stocked first-aid kit at home. Here are nine essential items you must include…
Gauze Dressings and Plasters
You can never have enough gauze dressings or plasters in your medical cabinet. These come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so it’s worth stocking up on an assortment of different types. These are perfect for healing all types of cuts, scrapes, and burns. Make sure to get some adhesive bandage tape as well.
Sterile Gloves
When you’re taking care of an injury, it’s extremely important that you sterilise your hands and the affected area. Before you begin tending to the cut or scrape, you should always wash your hands. However, it’s also wise to add another layer of protection by putting on some sterile gloves. This will help reduce the probability of infection.
No Sting Barrier Film
Another incredibly practical product is the no-sting barrier film cavilon spray. This alcohol-free liquid in a bottle can be sprayed on open wounds to create a breathable and transparent coating on the skin. This helps keep the affected area intact whilst allowing moisture and oxygen vapour to permeate the wound.
Safety Pins
Small, medium, and large safety pins can be used to secure wraps and bandages in place whilst you are conducting first aid. In extreme situations, you can even use safety pins to make an immobilisation sleeve. For example, if you’ve injured your arm, you can use a safety pin to attach the cuff of a long-sleeved shirt to your chest and keep the arm in place.
Hot and Cold Packs
Instant heat packs and cold ice bags can be used to provide instant relief to an injury. Whether you’ve bumped your head or pulled a muscle, you’ll be glad to find these in your first aid box. If you want to be ultra-prepared, you can keep your cooling packs in the freezer.
Tweezers
Although this is a staple item in a woman’s make-up bag, it’s also a necessity in your first aid kit. If you get a piece of glass stuck in a wound or perhaps even a splinter, you can use a pair of tweezers to remove it from your skin. It’s important to remove any foreign objects from your wound as soon as possible, as you could risk an infection.
Aloe-Vera Gel
There’s nothing worse than dealing with the pain of a blistering burn, which is why you should always keep a bottle of aloe vera gel nearby. This can be used to treat moderate burns, and sunburns, and even speed up the healing process of wounds.
Thermometer
A high fever tends to be a rapid indicator that something is not right with your body. Although you can use the back of your hand to try and determine how hot someone’s temperature is, it’s always better to get more accurate results from a thermometer. Temperatures higher than 38 degrees Celsius are considered a high fever or sign of infection, so it’s best to get a medical opinion.
Prescription and Over the Counter Medication
Finally, we recommend that you keep a sizable stock of any prescription and over-the-counter medication you may need. The type of prescription medication depends on what your doctor has recommended you take. However, some useful over-the-counter medication you should have in your kit include antihistamines, cold medication, ibuprofen, throat lozenges, laxatives, antacids, and anti-diarrhoea medication.
Sure, you can easily pick up a first aid kit from your local supermarket, however, these rarely come fully equipped with all the things you truly need. Not only can you personalise your first aid kit to suit your unique preferences, but you can also make it as small or large as you’d like. What’s more, you can even make numerous first aid packets and store them in different places, like your car.
